My dear blog companions, I am raising money for a new homeless shelter for women in Kansas City, KS. You can see more details below, but I am hoping you can help me by sponsoring me in the Kansas City Marathon on October 18th. Here is the idea: You make a base pledge, like $10 or $20 or $50, which you agree to donate if I actually finish the marathon. But, as an added challenge (and as a motivator to me), you make an incremental pledge, like $1 or $2 or $5, which you agree to donate for every minute I shave off of a 4 hour finishing time. So, for instance, let's say you pledge $20 and $2/minute. If I finish with a time of 3 hours and 53 minutes, you donate ($20 + $2/minute x 7 minutes) = $34. (For the sake of transparency, I am hoping to run between a 3:40 and a 3:50.)

Any donation you make goes straight to the Franciscan Poor of Jesus Christ and is tax deductible. If you are interested, please e-mail me at scottwallisch@hotmail.com or comment on this blog post and tell me what your base pledge and your incremental pledge are. I will send you info on how you can follow my times during the race. After the race I will send you my finishing time and where you can send the check (sorry, I'm not sophisticated enough to take credit card donations).

So here is what I'm running for:The Franciscan Poor of Jesus Christ, an order originating in Brazil started a convent here in Kansas City, KS a couple years ago. They live the gospel simplicity of St. Francis, and they spend a good part of their ministry reaching out to the homeless. Twice a week, on both sides of the state line, they take meals and supplies to various places that are known to the homeless community. They directly feed and provide for the homeless, while getting to know them by name and inviting them into prayer. I have been blessed to periodically help with their ministry, and it is slowly changing my selfish heart.

When these sisters became aware that there was no homeless shelter for women on the Kansas side of the border, they dreamed of opening one. Their dreams have finally come to life. They have moved into an old convent at Blessed Sacrament Parish in KCK, and they now have opened their doors to homeless women. The building suffices, but it needs some work to make it more habitable, like fixing a very leaky roof. They also have daily expenses associated with hosting these women. I encourage you to find out more about the Franciscan Poor of Jesus Christ. Here is their website: www.franciscanspjc.org